frankenstein and miss margaret
by bohemian rhapsody8
Summary: margaret wickum is a very confused woman in an unhappy marriage that she can't seem to pry herself away from until one day when she meets a strange monster in the woods. this is my first fan fic so please read and review
1. Chapter 1

She ran, what else could she do but run? The thought of what was behind her allowed no other reaction. When Margaret first met Gabriel he acted ferociously jealous of everyone around her and like so many other young girls, with the muscular, impassioned men of their romance novels as their only knowledge of men, she mistook his behavior as love. She had never thought that his violence would ever be turned in her direction. Their marriage was no product of deep love but of Gabriel's need to secure her as his own. He had almost secured her body and soul but then one day, after so many years of keeping her feet planted firmly to the floor she ran. She didn't know where she was going but for the time being she was just happy to know that she could still remember how to run. She stumbled through the thick brush in the pouring rain, often tripping over her silk dress and rocks and branches. By the time she had stopped every inch of her was either scratched, bruised, or muddied and her entire self was soaked. She ran until she was physically unable to run anymore at which point she collapsed at the foot of a tree and sobbed until she finally found piece in sleep.

When her consciousness returned she saw that it was morning and that she had been moved to a small clearing. Next to her lay the remains of a fire and underneath her was a coat larger than any other she had seen. She looked around for her mysterious friend but there was no one to be seen. She sat there for a while longer, not sure whether to wait or just get up and leave, and then she saw him. A colossal creature with the agility and speed of an animal, but who walked on his hind legs like a man. Before Margaret knew it he was directly in front of her. "It can't be a man" Margaret thought. It had watery, red eyes, stark white teeth, jet black hair, and skin the color of death. Now Margaret had never been one for fainting and instead stood up and looked the creature in the eye, determined not to show any fear. They both stood still for a long time, starring at each other, until finally she determined from the timid expression on his face that he would not harm her.

"Who are you"? she demanded a little harshly, still trying to appear unafraid in hopes that it would convince the potentially dangerous juggernaut that she had handled worse creatures than him before. He looked around nervously; this meeting had not been what he expected. He had expected her to swoon or scream or runaway like all the rest did.

"I'm the one who found you in the rain last night and brought you here". Margaret was glad to see that he could not only speak, but speak eloquently and she began to let her guard down.

"Umm, thank you for that."After a moments pause "You're welcome". Still with an expression of confusion "Do you want something to eat?"

"I wouldn't mind a bite."

"Ok then" he said letting a smile break through. He began to stoke the fire and set down a bundle of fish he had caught.

"So what's your name?"

"Well, I don't really have an official name. My father never named me. Although there was once a blind man who called me Damien, but I think he thought I was someone else."

"Damien sounds like a pretty good name for you." He nodded in response.

"So what are you doing way out here in the woods?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Well I'm heading south and I tend to cause quite a stir when I get near the main roads. But you don't look like you need to hide."

"Well believe me if I went back there now I would cause quite a stir as well."

"Back where?"

"To my husband."

"You're married?"

"You could say that. You could also say that I'm legally bonded to a miserable, domineering sack of flesh for the rest of my days."

"So I take it there's trouble in paradise?"

"The trouble is with me. I asked to marry that miserable man, and I choosed to stay blind to his underlying hatred of me."

"Do you hate him?" Margaret sighed, putting her forehead in her hand.

"I don't know. Sometimes I think I do but I get so confused sometimes."

"Well, love and hate are very similar. They both make you crazy and obsessive. Your emotions, your health and even your life depend on the person you feel for… At least that's what I read once."

"I guess that makes sense. You talk pretty good for someone who lives by himself in the woods."

"I've got a lot of time on my hands, so I spend it reading."

"Do you think I should leave my husband?" Margaret asked staring into the burnt umbers of the fire.

"Well, I don't know. What does he do to you?"

"The being hit and yelled at don't bother me so much as when he'll just refuse to even look at me, he hates me so much. It's those times that I think about leaving, but I can never get up the will to actually do it."

"Except this time," Damien said turning his head to look at her.

"Except this time," Margaret echoed looking back at him. After a short moment of looking into each others eyes they quickly averted them and an awkward silence set in. After what seemed like a very long time it was finally broken by Damien.

"You're welcome to travel with me if you like." He said this rather timidly while looking at the ground and digging into the dirt with a stick.

"No I can't. I vowed in front of man and god that I would stay with that man no matter what and I intend to keep my promise."

"Even if he doesn't keep his?" Margaret just stared without giving an answer.

"All I know is that you deserve to feel love Mrs. Wickum and I hope your husband understands that." Damien said while both of them starred at the ground.

"Actually it's Mrs. Murphy. My maiden name is Wickum…and thanks."

When margaret returned to the house she paused for a minute upon seeing the shattered glass on the floor. The pain of the memory lay fresh in her mind. When Gabriel and she had come back from a party held by a woman with a title, little money, and a forked tongue he laid into her. Obsessive personalities usually go hand in hand with drinking problems and Gabriel was no exception. She could smell the stench of alcohol on his hot breath as he pinned her against the wall demanding the name of her nonexistent lover. Some people will make themselves believe anything in order to justify their hatred. When his demands were only met with Margaret's pleading he threw her to the floor.

"You're a lying whore!" he screamed throwing the wine glass at her. Fortunately for Margaret though drunks don't have the best aim and it shattered against the floor. Margaret looked hesitantly from the broken glass up at her husband with tear soaked eyes.

"Was there ever a time when you loved me? Even just a little bit?" she asked in a small desperate voice. Gabriel looked to her with eyes burning with fire and answered in a low, deep voice, sneering.

"How can anyone love a spineless dog"?

Upon recalling the passionate hatred in her husband's eyes a new feeling came upon Margaret. She felt angry. She began to think of all the ways she could think of to spite him. All sorts of satisfyingly vengeful scenarios ran through her head but the only thing she could think to do of at the time was grab a pair of scissors, take her long black hair in one hand and clip it all off. Afterward she looked at herself in the mirror, dispelled hair in hand. The words spineless dog ran through her head, bringing a fire to her eyes. She couldn't help but notice that all her anger, scrapes, filth and short hair the reflection was quite an imposing figure. She then stripped off her ruined dress and donned her husband's trousers, boots, hat and shirt. She remembered what Peter had said about Gabriel not keeping his promise. She then collected any food she could find and put it into a carpet bag. She left the house feeling very large and strong although she was swimming in Gabriel's clothes. She went into a wig shop to sell her hair she gained a purse full of money for her long tresses and a swelling of confidence after the owner had called her sir. In a haze of anger, frustration, and desperation she contrived a plan to travel alone portraying a man and to start her life all over again on a clean slate somewhere far away.

Her intention was to take a carriage but she hesitated, looking in the direction of the woods. She remembered her former conviction to move on alone with her life, but then she wondered at what good being alone would do her. Her imagination showed her a brief glimpse of traveling with Damien and she thought herself happy in it. Once again Margaret found herself tearing through the woods, but instead of being hopeless and aimless this time she was exuberant and looking for a very particular person. At first she couldn't find him and was beginning to worry that he had already left, but then she caught sight of the enormous awkward figure striding in between the trees.

"Damien! Damien!" she yelled speeding her pace and holding onto her hat as she ran down the hill. Damien turned around slightly startled and pleasantly surprised to see the small woman rambling toward him.

"Miss Wickum, I mean Mrs. Murphy what are you doing here"?

"Damien I want to come with you if you wouldn't mind".

He had no idea what had inspired her to race after him, but he liked that she had.

"I can't think of a better traveling companion"

She smiled broadly, still trying to catch her breath. He noticed how every aspect of her face was changed when she smiled, he liked that too. So the pair went on their way with every step hoping to leave their past behind, but it's funny how greatly the past can effect your future.

"By the way, why are you dressed like that"?Margaret looked down at herself and smiled again.

"I don't know, but I like it".


	2. Chapter 2

So for the first time in her life Margaret felt the freedom of being removed from society and for the first time in his life Damien had a companion. In Margaret's first moments of exhilaration she talked nonstop of her future plans, and how hateful Gabriel was, and just about everything else that ran through her mind, but after a while she realized that Damien wasn't responding and she grew tired of her one sided conversations. Damien wanted to talk to her. He had wanted to talk to someone so badly for so long but he could never think of what to say. He thought back to the characters in his much beloved books to see if their conversations could give him any inspiration. However, the only conversations that were coming to mind were romantic, flowery, passionate ones, which would sound ridiculous coming out of his mouth. So, they lapsed into silence.

At the least provocation Damien would blush with embarrassment. All she Margaret had to do was glance at him or brush up against his arm. Despite her cross dressing he was constantly aware of her femininity and it was ridiculous how awkward he felt around her.

Margaret was not so much disgusted by Damien as intrigued. She wanted an opportunity to study his face but every time she looked at him a terrible discomfort would encroach upon both of them. However, despite his painful shyness Margaret liked Damien. Considering Margaret's romantic imagination it was most likely because of this that she liked him. She spent a good seal of her time wondering what Damien was thinking while trying to get a good look into his eyes. Despite herself the rest of her time was spent thinking about Gabriel.

Margaret spent the nights sleeping with a gun in her hand that she didn't intend on using, not only because she didn't have the stomach for killing but also because she couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. She wasn't sure why she had brought it but it gave her a sense of security out there in the wilderness. About a week into their pilgrimage Margaret was thrashing around in her sleep one night. She was having a very frustrating dream where she was in the kitchen and Gabriel was screaming nonsensically while she was screaming and crying and smashing eggs in a bowl. As the dream progressed she screamed louder and louder and became more and more violent with the eggs until Gabriel grabbed her and began shaking her. She kicked and screamed and tried to beat him with her fists. At this point she heard a far off voice saying "calm down, calm down". She opened her eyes to find a strange man standing over her. He was a grizzly sight, with blue eyes peering from a conglomeration of dirt and hair.

Margaret's first instinct was to scream, but then she remembered her masculine attire and thought if she could only keep calm she could somehow scare him off. She scrambled to her feet brandishing her useless gun.

"Now, calm down little man", said the man holding his hands up to show he had no weapon. "I just want to ask you a question."

"What do you want?" Margaret asked trying to sound confident and still holding up the gun.

"How you seen an, umm… strange looking man around recently?"

"What?" said Margaret looking around as she realized that Damien was no where to be seen.

"He's very tall with discolored skin and a distorted face. Have you seen him?"

"Umm…." Margaret had no idea what to say. She looked around one more time to get some kind of an idea what she should do.

"Well have you seen him? Answer me damn it!" He said this with such a desperate and wild look in his eye She knew he could be no friend of Damien's.

"I can't say that I have sir." The man looked beyond her at Damien's abandoned bed.

"Who are you traveling with boy?"

"My brother."

"Now where did he go to in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" he said skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"He doesn't sleep very well. He's probably gone for a walk."

"Well why don't I just sit with you until he gets back."

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well, uh, God knows when he'll be back and besides he doesn't take very kindly to strangers. I wouldn't be surprised if he shot you dead at first sight."

"This brother of yours does sound like a brute, but I'll stay all the same."

"Honest sir he could be gone for hours. He even disappeared for a couple of days once."

"I don't mind waiting."

"Well I do," She said setting a sterner tone in my voice. "I want to get some sleep tonight and I don't want a stranger in my camp when I do."

"I promise I'm not gonna rob ya little man, if I was then I wouldn't have woken you up, but I'm going to stay until your companion gets back."

"No you're not," She said directing the gun back at his head. "Now I'm gonna tell you one more time, get the fuck out of my camp," and I fired a shot right by his head.

"What the fu…" he shouted just as Margaret fired another shot into the air. "Fucking crazy little boy he shouted, stumbling back into the woods. Margaret stood there for a while straining her eyes to see into the darkness, and then she got to wondering where the hell Damien had gotten to. She waited all night, but he never came back. She wasn't sure whether she should wait for him, or keep moving. That afternoon She came to the realization that her meal ticket had deserted her and she began to make her way through the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

That night Margaret found herself at the edge of a town tired and hungry. She dragged herself to the center. Know one took a second glance at the dirty teenage boy. She filled herself up on food and spent most of her money. She began to fall asleep in her chair in a pub but she was thrown out by the owner who told her that if she wanted a place to sleep she needed to pay for it. So she was back where she started, wondering what to do next. For a brief instance she considered starting her new life in the town but she quickly dismissed this thought realizing that it was not her taste at all. It was riddled with whore houses and gambling hells.

Margaret decided that if she was going to continue on she was going to need to buy some provisions because she wasn't as skilled a hunter as Damien and this time she was going to take a train. Un fortunately though at the moment she couldn't do either of those things until she found a way to replenish her funds. That's what led little Margaret Wickum to a gambling hell in a town notorious for its sinful pleasures, Beaumont, Georgia. The hell was filled with men of all kinds from both sides of the financial spectrum. Come at the right hour and you could find the most notorious of brutes playing craps with the most respectable of businessmen. However, there was only one kind of woman aside from Miss Wickum. The whores danced, served drinks, and of course led the occasional man up to the private quarters.

Margaret sat at a cards table feeling completely out of place and timidly surveyed her company. One of the men was a sun burnt, unshaven, gruff looking man with leathers skin and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The other was a clean cut man in a pinstriped site, sweaty, bald, and smoking a cigar.

"Place your bets gentlemen," said the lady dealer. Margaret took out her measly few coins and placed them on the table.

"This table is for high rollers boy," the sweaty bald man said. Embarrassed, Margaret scooped up her money and rose from her seat.

"Maybe you should try uhh… marbles instead," said the gruff man with an unpleasant smile that revealed yellow rotten teeth. So, Margaret slumped away to a table full of nervous, dirty men, who smelled of alcohol.

Reader, you would not have believed Margaret's luck. She made her way to all the tables betting more and more money each time, until after the course of five hours she was in the winner's circle throwing throwing dice while surrounded by a crowd of cheering onlookers. She had women on either side constantly encouraging her to bet higher and higher until fifteen minutes after that she had lost half the money she'd won and decided to call it quits. Despite this setback she still had plenty of money for food and travel and she decided to sit back and have a drink. She was joined by a good chunk of her fans who raved about her great luck and one of the whores sat on the arm of her chair.

"Those are some hot hands you have my boy," said the bald man in the pinstriped suite whose perspiration had increased tenfold over the course of the night. "Let me buy you a woman." Margaret choked on her ale and looked horrified from the bald man to the woman sitting on the arm of her chair.

"Nah, umm… no that's all right. I just bought a woman last night."

"Nonsense it's the least I could do for acting so brutish earlier." Despite her protests Margaret was eventually shoved into a room with a busty young girl with brown hair. She began to take her clothes off but Margaret stopped her.

"No, no please keep your clothes on" she said holding out one hand and covering her eyes with the other.

"What's the matter?" asked the girl.

"Nothing," said Margaret exasperated and embarrassed. She sat in a chair by a vanity and said "I just don't want to…"

"Oh, are you… you know, a ferry or something?"

"No, not exactly." She took off her hat and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm a woman."

"Oh. Really?"

"yeah."

"Seriously?" she said with a furrowed brow walking ever to get a closer look at my face.

"Yes, seriously!" She yelled turning her face away and putting her hat back on." The girl backed away and sat on the bed.

"So you don't want to do anything right?"

"No!"

"Ok. So what are we gonna do?"

"I don't know, just sit here for a while I guess." There was a short silence.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I was trying to make some money to buy a train ticket. I'm heading south."

"Oh. What's in the south?"

"I don't know. I was following my companion there but he appears to have deserted." Margaret and Julia, (that was the girl's name), talked for fifteen minutes or so before deeming it a proper amount of time and Margaret left. The men entreated her to stay for another drink but she declined feeling that it was just a matter of time before she was found out. So, Margaret set out intending to find a place to spend the night but she was only a few away from the gambling hell when Julia came running after her and dragged her into the into the dark behind a building.

"What the hell are you…?" began Margaret but she was interrupted.

"Let me come with you."

"What? Why?"

"After you left a man came in who I… who I owe some money to."

"Well, then I suggest you pay him," said Margaret beginning to walk away but Julia grabbed her arm.

"No you don't understand! I don't have it, he'll kill me!" Margaret paused for a moments thought. She wasn't really sure how she felt about it but she decided to concede. After all she had kept her mouth shut about her little secret.

"All right we'll catch a train in the morning."


	4. Chapter 4

So, Margaret and Julia found themselves a hotel to sleep in and the next morning they went to the train station as planned, however that was the point that the plan came to an end. Amid the crowd at the train station there was an extremely insidious man and although he did not appear as the ones in stories he was the greatest villain one could hope for, Margaret had actually spotted him for a few seconds and thought he was rather handsome. This clean shaven, well dressed gentleman was the very man who had sent Julia running out of the gambling hell. He had the same effect on her in this instance, their eyes fell upon one another at the same instant and Julia immediately began to push through the crowd. He did the same.

"Where are you going?" yelled Margaret but she made no answer. Confused, she chased after her. She stood outside the station looking around but couldn't find her anywhere, than was when her arm was seized by in a tight grip. She turned to see the handsome mans face distorted by an inhuman amount of rage.

"Where did she go?" he barked, for he really did seem to Margaret at that instant like a wild dog.

"Wh…what…?"

"Don't you play dumb with me" he said through clenched teeth putting his face right close to hers. Now Margaret could see the veins bulging out off his neck. "I swear to god I'll tear you limb from limb you insipid little…" At seeing how frightened he had made the boy he stopped and decided to take a different approach. The bulging veins sunk back into his skin and it appeared to her that his face that his face some how mutated back into that of the man from the train station. "I'm sorry," he said in a gentleman's voice. "It's just that I thought you were traveling with that woman I was looking for. Were you?" Margaret only open and closed her mouth a few times with wide eyes, giving her the rather fishlike expression. "This woman is none of your concern. She's not the kind of woman you need to worry about protecting. Why let her get you into trouble?" Now Margaret's mind was finally beginning to work properly enough to formulate an answer.

"I wasn't traveling with any woman."

"Who was the woman you were running after?" the man asked beginning to revert back to his wild self.

"Oh, I don't know, just someone I was talking to for a short while. I was wondering why she ran out of there like that. I guess now I know." With great difficulty to restrain himself the man let go of Margaret's arm.

"Well, if you do see your friend again you let her know that I've got men everywhere and there's no way she's getting out of this town before she pays what she owes and then some." Then he finally walked away and turned the corner. Margaret stood around the outside of the station for a while, once again not sure whether or not to wait for her companion.

"It seems that everyone I know is running from someone," she mumbled to herself. That was when she heard her name being whispered. Margaret made her way towards the pile of garbage next to the station that Julia had hidden herself under. "Is that you Julia?" Julia lifted her head out of her head out of the stinking rubbish. "Jesus you couldn't find a better hiding place?"

"Shh, just pretend like you don't see me. Look away! Look away!" she whispered nervously. Margaret turned around and leaned up against the side of the building. "Okay I have a plan."

"Oh, hell no, I'm not helping you anymore! You're too much trouble."

"Shh, keep your voice down they might be watching you. Look, I'm sorry I didn't know he was gonna be here." Margaret didn't respond. "Oh, come on! You saw that guy, he's off his rocker. You're not just gonna leave me sitting in a pile of garbage till he finds me." Margaret still didn't say anything. "Come one, I'm begging you here. When's the last time somebody begged you?" Margaret really just wanted to get on the train and finally put some distance between herself and her past. Julia was right though, she couldn't just leave her there. Despite her past prejudices against women of Julia's profession she could find no real evil in the girl. Besides, she had acquired a certain uneasiness at the loss of her companion that Julia's presence quieted.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked in a low voice, looking at the ground.

"Oh, I knew I would do right sticking with you." Julia said happily. "All right, I need you to go into town and get some supplies and meet me back here tonight when it's good and dark. We've got to take to the woods so there's no paper trail for Bloodhound to follow."

"His name's Bloodhound?" Margaret asked nervously.

"No, fear his bark is worse than his bite… for the most part."

"But what if he sends someone to follow me?"

"Just, disguise yourself as a woman."

"I am a woman."

"Than it should be easy…," Julia paused and looked her up and down, "for the most part."

"Well, what if he finds you here before I get back?"

"The fist thing I need you to do after you get into disguise is to pay the man at the coach station to tell him that I have taken a coach to St. Louis." Margaret thought about all this for a minute.

"Theoretical it does seem that it could work, if we're lucky. All right I'll meet you here tonight."

"Oh, and Margaret…"

"Yeah."

"Could you bring some soap?"


	5. Chapter 5

Just as Margaret had suspected she was followed by two of Bloodhound's men as soon as she left the train station. Imagine their surprise after they had sat outside a dress shop waiting for their quarry and in an hour's time no one had come out but a woman in a plain black dress and a large hat. She had successfully shaken her two pursuers and she was on to other business.

It was at the coach station she ran into trouble. She was waiting at the counter when the doorway was darkened by a tall, handsome man. Margaret knew it was Bloodhound the minute she heard his voice.

"May I have some assistance please?" he called to whoever was listening. "Hello there," he said when he looked at Margaret next to him.

"Hello," Margaret answered irritably trying to hide her face. She couldn't help but feel that he was standing uncomfortably close.

"Going somewhere miss?" he asked trying to get a look at her face.

"Umm…uh huh," she answered nodding her head.

"Anywhere special?" Margaret glanced at him for a second and then instantly looked down at the ground again. She could not help but acknowledge that he had the most handsome smile of anyone she had ever seen.

"Just to visit my aunt."

"I'm going that way too." While saying this he tried to lift up her hat a little. She put her hand on top of it.

"But I haven't even told you where she lives."

"It doesn't matter. Wherever it is it's where I'm going." Margaret had lifted up her head a little. She was too distracted by warmth in her face and a feeling of claustrophobia came over her. Bloodhound noticed the color in her cheeks and smiled. From what he could see of her face he didn't think that she was any great beauty but he liked that he made her so flustered and wanted to make her even more so.

"Perhaps you could delay your trip a few hours and instead…" but he stopped at the sight of the manager approaching.

"Hello, sir, madam," the manager said nodding at both of them in turn.

"I was wondering if you could help me find a friend of mine," Bloodhound said.

"I'd be happy to help if it is in my power to do so."

"I want to know if she has taken a coach somewhere. She has brown hair, olive skin; she's a little busty, fairly easy on the eyes. Have you seen her?"

"I'm afraid I haven't sir."

"Ah, well, thank you for your help. She must be taking the train." Margaret listened to this conversation in unbearable frustration. She had to act fast. She waited until Bloodhound had gone out the door then quickly pulled out the money and showed it to the manager.

"This is yours if you tell that man that the woman he was looking for took a coach to St. Louis. Her name is Julia." The manager looked taken aback for a moment but Margaret hurried him to the task and the manager ran outside after Bloodhound.

"Sir," he called after him, "was the woman you're looking for named Julia?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact!" he answered excitedly.

"It turns out that she has gone to St. Louis. I apologize for my mistake earlier, I wasn't at the station at the time."

So having successfully sent Bloodhound and his pack of wolves in the wrong direction Margaret bought the supplies needed and met her new companion to resume her travels. As soon as they had set on their way she related the days events to Julia who laughed heartily at some parts and stared at Margaret in suspense at others."

"You are a bloody chameleon Miss Wickum!" Julia said emphatically at the close of the story. "And to think he was flirting with you and he didn't even recognize you, ha!"

"Yeah, but I was damn lucky that the manager caught him in time."

"Damn right. I have to admit you had me scared for a minute at that part." Julia smiled broadly in a mixture of excitement and anticipation. "So where are we headed."

"I'm not sure I thought you would know that."

"Nah, there's no where I've been before that I want to go to again."

"Then we'll find a new place."

"Sounds like a plan."

Margaret and Julia made fairly good companions, although Julia's enthusiasm wore off quickly and she began to feel the weight of her load and complained about the rough terrain. She was much more talkative than Damien but not nearly so thoughtful. Her mind was in a thousand places at once and she would jump from topic to topic before any real conversation could begin. A lot of the time she would not listen to Margaret's answers at all and just wait anxiously to express her next thought. All in all the next few days were spent lightheartedly and filled with conversations about nothing in particular. However, no matter how hard Margaret tried to keep her mind cleared her thoughts always turned to Gabriel and Damien. Both of these men's faces constantly flashed in her head and she wondered what she would say to either of them if she were to ever see them again.


	6. Chapter 6

On the third night Margaret was jostled awake by her companion.

"I think I heard something," Julia said nervously, looking around in the darkness for a sign of movement.

"It was probably just an animal or something," Margaret groaned, frustrated to have been woken up after she had finally gotten to sleep.

"I don't think that's it."

"Julia, we're in the woods there's tons of little animals and bugs and things that can make noise. Now go back to sleep and don't wake me unless something kills you."

"But I heard voices!" Now curious Margaret sat up and strained her ears to listen.

"I don't hear anything."

"Shh, be quiet. Listen." They listened a little longer but Margaret heard nothing.

"I still don't hear anything."

"Shut up! You keep talking over it." Margaret was just about to lay back down when she saw a tiny glow of light in the distance.

"What's that?"

"It looks like a camp fire."

"Do you think we should go see who it is?"

"Why on earth would we do that? It could be a band of murdering thieves for all we know!"

"That's my point though; if they are dangerous then we need to get the hell away from here."

"Can't we just assume that they're dangerous and get the hell away from here now?"

"I don't want to walk all night if it's not necessary, besides I've got my pistol with me. We'll just go close enough to see who they are but stay out of sight."

"That's stupid! You don't even know how to aim that stupid gun! Besides it's easy for you to act all tough you're dressed as a man, there's no telling what they'll do to a woman looking the way I do."

"Don't worry I'll just tell them you're in drag." Margaret began to walk towards the glow of light.

"This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone do," Said Julia, following closely. Although she didn't want to go with Margaret she also didn't want to stay by herself in the dark wilderness.

Margaret couldn't blame Julia for thinking she was stupid for going to find the other campsite. She thought it was rather stupid herself, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was Damien and she knew she would never be satisfied unless she checked.

The voices started as a murmur at first, but they grew louder and louder until they were right outside the camp and could hear two men talking abnormally loud. One had an absolutely booming voice and his laughter shook the ground. Margaret and Julia tried to find a position where they could observe without being seen. Finally, they could see one mans face. He was unshaven, filthy, and from the looks of it insanely drunk, but not entirely unhandsome. It was a while before the other man came into view and when he did Margaret gasped and Julia screamed. Their hiding place was compromised but Margaret no longer cared. She stood up and ran out of the bushes. She threw her arms around the massive man who looked at her in confusion for several moments before saying anything.

"Miss Wickum?"

"Damien where the hell have you been?" Margaret asked a little angrily. Then she looked to the other man. "Who is he?" Before Damien could answer the man stood up and stumbled towards Julia.

"Weasel at your service mum", he said trying to kiss Julia's hand but she pulled it away in disgust.

"Interesting name", Margaret said with a little condescension in her voice. She could tell that he was terribly drunk and it was not long before she realized that Damien was not much better off.

"It's Norwegian", Weasel slurred. Then he looked back to Julia. "So you must be the beautiful Margaret Williams."

"It's Wickum and that would be me."

"You're a woman?" he asked with a furrowed brow. "Well then what is she a drag queen or something?" he said gesturing towards Julia. A look of outrage spread over Julia's face. But she didn't have time to say anything before Weasel committed his next offense. He squinted at Julia and said, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't think so," she answered coldly.

"No, no I'm sure of it." Then his eyes widened in recognition, "you're that girl from Brighton!" After having this revelation he began to laugh hysterically. "Damien do I have some stories to tell you!" But Julia cut Weasels good humor short by giving him a sharp smack in the face.

"This is the companion you have chosen in my stead?" Margaret said warmly turning to Damien.

"Umm… well, trust me I preferred your company infinitely better."

"Well then why did you leave me in the middle of the woods you stinking drunk?" Damien looked taken aback by this and he had to pause for a moment before answering.

"I'm sorry Miss Wickum but I had to."

"Why?"

"Jesus woman let the man finish before you bite his head off," conjectured Weasel, but after having told him to shut up everyone ignored him. He felt a slight pang of indignation but kept his mouth shut for a little while.

"That man that you met with was looking for me. And if I had come back he would have caught me."

"So you left me to face him without any protection."

"I wouldn't have left you if I wasn't completely certain that he wasn't going to harm you in anyway."

"Oh, well, if he's such a little lamb then why were you running away from him?"

"I'm the only one he wants."

"Who is he anyway?"

"He is… my father."

"Your father?"

"Well, my creator. He made me in a lab, for what purpose I have no idea. This experiment of his has brought nothing but misery to both of us."

"But, what harm could your creator want to do you?" Damien considered lying, telling her that he was a mad scientist who wanted to perform cruel experiments on him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. However he could not risk telling the truth either.

"I promise I will tell you everything, just not yet." Margaret didn't say anything, not sure whether to demand a full explanation or if she really wanted one. "I know you have no reason to trust me Miss Wickum so it is your choice whether you would like to stay with me or not."

"Oh, don't tell me that we're going to have to travel with this little cretin!" Julia wailed.

"Does this man really have to come with us?" Margaret asked. Weasel looked in highly insulted by the question.

"I promised him protection," Damien said shrugging his shoulders.

So, it was settled that the four fugitives would become a company despite Julia's objections. She really did not think there was anything worse than having to travel with weasel but couldn't get up the nerve to set off on her own. Although Margaret was still a little angry they all felt very safe huddled around him that night, and that is what kept them together, the feeling of security during the night time that none of them had felt before.


End file.
